Atonement
by YunaMustang
Summary: Left feeling usless, helpless, and worthless, the fallen Avatar comes to accept what she has become, but when her path comes to a crossroad intersecting with that of her enemy... how will she take it? **Formly Northern Lights name has been changed **
1. The Blizzard

**Okay, today's finale completely blew my mind... And I was dissapointed with how it ended, HOWEVER! There will be a Book 2! 3 This is just my little mind creating a story out of the finale, so please, please, PLEASE, do not read this if you haven't seen the finale. This is just the prologue/first chapter/type-y thing, but still, let me know what you think!**

Worthless. Useless. Fallen.

What can she do now without her bending? She's the Avatar; the Avatar without her bending. The only bending she can muster is air bending. To top it off, Mako had finally told her he loved her… but she felt nothing back. Falling over him for the months she spent in Republic City and to, at the most crucial moment, turn him away…

"What's happening to me?"

Korra was sitting alone, on an ice cliff, dressed in normal furs, but she had brought out a fur blanket to be wrapped in. She had been sitting alone out there for so long… almost all day. Everyone was still at her home, and have been for the past few weeks. It had been crowded, but they wanted to stay, and her parents were accepting of them.

Was wanting to be alone and away from everyone so wrong? Tenzin and her mother had made such a big deal over it… but Korra saw nothing wrong with it. Mako tried to follow her around, but that only made her push him away more.

Crystal clear tears slid from her blue eyes, "What's wrong with me…?" Korra brought her knees closer to her chest, staring off at the ocean…

The ocean, her element. An element she had loved since the day she was born. An element she loved to surround herself with, loved to control… An element she can no longer control… An element she no longer feels connected to… An element that is no long a part of her…

"Dammit!" Her fist made contact with the snow beneath her.

Standing up on her feet, Korra looked over the cliff, into the ocean that was calm beneath her. The blanket fell from her shoulders, and her fur parka slipped from her body. She bent over, taking off her boats.

This may have been a foolish thing to do, not being able to bend if something were to happen, but it would be a good way to go, surrounded by her favorite element.

Korra's deep blue eyes were cast down again at the water, and as quick as lightning she dove, her body cutting through the air, plunging towards the crystal blue water.

It was like being hit with a million icicles, and Korra's body began to ache immediately as her body dove under the water. However, she welcomed the feeling with open arms and an open heart, having gone swimming in these very waters so many times prior. She swam down, as far down as she could until she began to run out of breath, until her lungs began to burn. Her lithe body started its way upwards, towards the surface, and when she surfaced, she gasped for breath, her lungs burned from the cold and from being deprived of oxygen.

"Whoa… Didn't mean to go out this far." Korra was fairly far away from the ice covered ground, and had a ways for swimming back. She was already shaking, lips turning a light shade of purple-blue. She had to be quick to get back to her furs to keep her warm.

Half way in her journey, her body began to cramp up. "No… Not now…" Her eyes traced the line of iced land, seeing it just a few more minuets of swimming away. She just had to keep swimming, had to make it back…

She pushed on, a few strokes further, but something stopped her.

Something, over there… it was floating. What was it?

"What is that?" Naturally, Korra's curiosity got the best of her, as the closer she swam, the clearer the object became. "Oh, Spirits!"

It was a body, clinging onto what seemed to be a boat part. It seemed to be a man since all she could see was the back of him.

_Of all times to not have my bending…_ Tears stung her eyes, but Korra pushed them away as she reached the man, "Sir? Are okay?" She laid a hand on his shoulder, trying to stay afloat herself.

"I'm just resting."

… _No_…

That unmistakable deep, gravely voice… How could she ever forget it… How could she ever get rid of it from haunting her?

"A-Amon?" She pushed herself away, back off of his shoulder. She tried to water bend away, but too late remembered the horrific thing he had done to her. She turned, and franticly kicked her feet.

Upon realizing who was within his grasp, Amon- formally known as Noatak- grabbed her ankle, pulling her to him, and holding onto her wrist whispered softly yet menacingly to her, "What have we here, young Avatar? All alone by yourself?"

Korra saw his face, saw the few cuts littering his skin. What had happened? That couldn't be from her, could it? He had dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in so long. He looked so tired… So, so tired… "Am-"

"I'll tell you what… you take me to your village to a medic and I'll leave in peace. You and your precious friends." Even though his voice was still as intimidating as ever, he sounded so run down and… _tired_.

Who was she to just turn him away? He may have cursed her for the rest of her life, haunted her very thoughts since the moment their paths crossed, but he looked so close to death, and she couldn't let that happen…

Korra hefted him onto her back, and began swimming towards the ice land where she could get them both warm.

The sudden adrenaline that was pumped through her due to fear gave her enough energy to get them to shore, and helped her overcome the cold for the time being.

She couldn't help but think about what she was doing. Helping the man who had taken her bending. Helping the man who took Lin's bending. The man who tried to take Tenzin's and his children's and Mako's bending.

_I'm crazy… I just… I have to be…_

The walk back up to the cliff where her things were was a struggle. A wind storm had decided to start picking up, and their wet clothes only caused them to be even colder.

"We'll be at the top shortly…" Korra walked closer to Amon for warmth, and the arm he had around her waist for support tightened… or maybe that was just her imagination.

Korra fell to her knees once they reached the clothing she had shed. She shakily pulled her parka and boats back on, clinging to them as she handed him the blanket. "H-Here… It'll k-keep you w-w-warm…" _Why am I so cold? I'm use to these conditions… So, why?_

Amon's jaw was tight as he spoke, trying to fend off shivering. "No, you keep it." He acted… gentlemanly and helped Korra up, wrapping the blanket around her and pulling her to him.

They walked back to the village huddled together, heads cast low to stop the snow from going into their eyes. A blizzard was beginning to pick up, and they were both hoping they'd make it to the village in time.

During the walk back to the village, they were just Amon and Korra, two people trying to seek shelter from the blizzard. He wasn't the fallen Equalists Leader and she wasn't the fallen Avatar. They weren't enemies who had fought. They were just two companions trying to seek refuge from the blizzard.

Both of them having grown up in such conditions, they were used to it, but the blizzard was picking up quickly, and they had little time to get back before the weather conditions got bad.

Korra saw Naga standing outside of the ice gates, waiting for her. As the ice gates became clearer, she saw her friends and family waiting for her. She saw Mako's hand turn to flames once he saw who was with her, saw Tenzin rush the little ones and his wife away before taking up an offensive stance, saw Lin's eyes narrow and fill with rage.

Korra collapsed at their feet, bringing Amon with her, "Medic… he needs a medic…" Her voice was so weak, that it threw them off guard, made them question why she wanted a medic for this monster.

Korra's world turned black as she saw Katara coming out and walking calmly towards them… and then… nothing…


	2. Falling Apart

**So, for some reason I lost all intrest in continuting this story. Well, not really, but I just lack the enthusiasm at the moment, and this story, as I wrote a few more pages, took a turn completely away from what I was going for. I changed the name, since the new story didn't fit with the old name, Northern Lights. Sorry this chapter is short. I wanted to get this out so that you guys had another chapter. The next one should be out soon, since I'm almost done. I just didn't want to lump them together. Anywho! Sorry for the... I don't even know. But yeah, my heart isn't in this one, so sorry if it lacks anything.**

Muffled voices.

Pounding migraine.

Surrounded by blackness.

What the fuck?

Korra opened her eyes, groaning softly as she turned onto her side. "Shit… my head…" Korra's voice sounded raspy, and she felt dizzy as she looked around.

"If the public knew you spoke with that kind of language, would they still put you on your pedestal?"

Korra's eyes flashed towards the man that spoke, and her eyes widen when she saw Amon laying in the bed beside her. The memories hit her. How she had dove in the water, saw his body clinging to a boat part, swimming back with him, walking back through the building up blizzard with him.

She looked away from him, realizing they were in the medical house. Why was she- Oh yeah, she passed out… Probably just from fatigue.

Her eyes glanced back at Amon. He was laying back, staring up at the ceiling. "… How long have I been asleep?"

"A week." He replied almost nonchalantly.

Korra stared at him, as if not hearing what he had said, "What? A week?" She stood up, but her body suddenly swayed as her vision blurred.

Her body was heading towards the floor, but she felt something wrap around her waist, and gently pull her up. Korra's head rolled against a hard chest as she was being cradled in someone's arms. _Amon_…

What was he playing at? What was he- No… too dizzy… too tired to think. She couldn't think. She let her head weakly lay against his chest as he gently lowered her back down to the bed she was laying in. "You need to rest, stay lying down. I'll go let Katara know you're awake."

"No… Don't let anyone know." Korra gripped his wrist, her palm coming in contact with his bare skin. She realized he was wearing an elbow length, blue tunic and dark blue pants trimmed with fur. She took in his appearance more and saw that his dark brown, tousled hair was slightly damp. He must have just bathed, or just washed his hair since he had an odd smell still to him. She cleared her throat, blushing slightly upon realizing she was staring at him, "If they knew I was awake they'd be bothering me… I just want to be alone… Let Katara come in on her own time. I don't want… _them_ to come in. They won't leave me alone. … Especially Mako…"

Korra looked Amon, the man who led the revolution against bending, the man who was a bender himself, the man who took her bending away. She watched as he moved around. She was so use to his swift, quick movements that seeing him move so… casually and humanlike was so foreign to her. He walked over to the water basin and filled a small cup of water, then walked fluidly to the cupboards, pulling out a deep bowl.

Her eyelids fluttered closed, trying to just block out all that was going through her head. Amon had taken everything from her. Her reason to exist. She was the Avatar; bending was her sole purpose of existing. She was nothing now… She could do nothing…

She _meant _nothing…

"Here."

Korra's eyes opened, seeing the very man who caused a raging fire to burn within her standing next to the bed she was laying down on. He had the cup of water and bowl in his hand, holding them out to her. "Eat."

"… I'm not-"

"Eat."

Her darkened, tanned hands took the bowl, looking down at the fresh berries that filled the bowl, then she took the cup and laid it on the crate beside the bed. She slowly ate the berries, savoring their sweet tastes. Korra's blue eyes flicked up at to look at Amon, and watched him as he was laying back in his bed, reading. "… What should I call you? Now that I know your identity as Amon is…"

His light blue eyes rose to meet hers, "Noa."

"Noa…" Korra blushed as his name rolled perfectly, fluidly, off her tongue, sounding so… natural. As she slowly ate, her striking blue eyes were on him, watching his every movement.

If there was an embodiment of water, it's Am- Noa… He moved with such graceful, sure, precise movements… Just watching him take a few steps was like watching the beautiful glimmer of the crystal water glide through the air. Noa made his way over to the large water basin the medical house had as a tub, in case someone came back from a nasty hunting trip and the blood needed to be washed off. Korra had put the bowl of berries aside, and now had her attention fully on Noa. Her cheeks began to heat up as she watched him grab the bottom of his shirt and pull it over his head. Her eyes traced the muscles in his back, lingering on the scattered scars she saw on his tanned skin.

Reels started turning in her mind. This man was her enemy. The very epitome of enemy! He took her bending from her! Terrorized the city with his hypocritical beliefs! And here she is gazing at him as if he were her lover?

Well… he was quite attractive…

_Korra!_

Noatak had turned around, and now Korra was staring at his very nicely shaped and toned chest… "O-Oh… I-I am so sorry!" Korra quickly turned her entire body away, awkwardly trying to grab the bowl of berries, only to dump them over her bed. "Shit…"

Her fingers frantically tried to grab the small berries before they stained the sheets. A masculine hand scooped them up, dumping them back into the bowl. A smooth chest brushed against Korra's arm. An almost spicy musky scent filled her nose. Who knew Noatak was such a turn on?

"Th-Thanks…" Korra mumbled softly as he moved his hands away.

Her body leaned back, trying to find the contact of his chest, and a soft sigh left her lips as she felt his chest against her back. Noatak started to pull away, but Korra's feminine yet strong hand circled around his wrist, "Wait…" Her normally strong and sure-of-herself voice seemed weak, cracking…

"Ava- … Korra?" Noatak couldn't call this girl the Avatar anymore, for she wasn't. She was a fallen bender, the fallen Avatar, and it was all due to him.

Blue, lucid eyes gazed up at him. He could see clearly the sorrow that was inside of her. There was no anger, which he found rather odd since she was a very… temperamental girl. Sorrow filled her blue eyes… along with a longing. A longing to know something…

"Why?"

Such a simple word, and yet it stung him, pierced him like an arrow, for he knew what she was asking. It was something she would only ask him, and something he could only answer. It was something that he was so sure of at the time, something he thought he would never regret, but feel pride from it. Now, it haunted him… It ate him alive. And now he's face-to-face with this girl, with Avatar Korra, and she's so full of sorrow because of him. Because of what he had done to her. This is what he has wanted… he's wanted to atone for what he has done. Maybe he can do so through talking to this girl…

"Why?"

There it was again, that weak, cracking voice causing such a pain in him…

Noatak sat down beside her, looking her in the eyes. He would not be a coward, he would face her, and face the punishments he knew would come. "I had a vision, and it was to purge the world of benders. I wanted to show everyone that bending wasn't something to be praised, thought of as a gift from the Spirits. I wanted everyone to see the evils behind bending. The bending gangs, the deaths caused by bending, the wars. Then you came along, the Avatar, the very embodiment of bending. At the time, when I equalized you, I was so proud and… smug. I finally destroyed the Avatar, the only thing standing in my way of spreading my revolution. Now… I have so much remorse… I still remember your terrified scream, your horrified face… It haunts me. It's… it's _killing_ me." Noatak's hands were shaking, and his eyes widened as smaller, darker ones grabbed onto them, holding them like a lover would. His eyes looked back up into hers, seeing the tears glistening in those blue orbs. "Korra… I am so sorry. I wish I knew how to undo what I've done. I wish there was something I could do to atone-"

"Noa…" One of her hands moved up to cup his cheek, "You were such a monster in everyone's eyes. Equalizing benders. Sending your chi-blockers out to do your dirty work. Starting a revolution against bending. But look at you, with your mask off… you're just a man… A man with a heart. A man who… who is being followed by your past, your childhood. I wish I hadn't been so scared of you… Maybe then I could have helped you instead of running from you, and fighting you our last encounter. If I had known more about you, if I had just stopped and listened… I could have saved you. And that's my job, isn't it? Listening to those around me and helping them. I was so focused on Pro-Bending and air bending… I never really attended to my Avatar duties… I never helped anyone like Avatar Aang, or Roku, or those before me. I was so selfish…"

Noatak looked down at the fallen Avatar sitting beside him, and he raised his hand, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "You were still in training, there's nothing wrong wi-"

"There's everything wrong with it! Avatar Aang was still in training and look back at everything he did! He was a boy! He did so much to help others, even if it was something so small like help a vendor pick up his cabbages… He was so kind. He was a true Avatar. I never was… I never will be." Tears rolled down Korra's cheeks in streams, and she was doing her very best at not screaming out in agonizing sorrow, sobbing until she was dry heaving, like every other night she spent crying.

The first sob left her lips, heavy and loud, then another and another, and soon there was no stopping her. Korra clung to the closest thing to her, Noatak. She held onto him, crying, screaming, and sobbing into his chest, clutching at his shoulders until her nails bit into his skin.

Noatak felt the hot tears spill from her cheeks and onto his skin, but he didn't care. He had to comfort her. This was one of the steps towards his atonement. He held the girl in his arms, stroking her hair, whispering soft things into her ear. He remembered the days he would wake from nightmares of having blood bended this animal or that person, and his mother would come in hearing his screams. She would hold him, just how he's holding Korra now, and whisper to him everything would be fine, and that I was just a dream.

How he longed to tell Korra everything was just a dream. She was falling apart. Hell, she was already in pieces. As he held her, whispered softly to her, he knew his only way of atoning would be to put the pieces of Korra back together, no matter how many times he gets stabbed by their jagged edges. He just had to.


	3. Atonement

**Okay, all done. Again, sorry if it's lacking in anything. I really tried even though I wasn't 'into it.' I really hope you enjoy it!**

Her cries of sorrow and mental agony had died down to soft hiccups. Her body curled on his lap, her head limply laying against his chest. "I need to atone for what I've done. Well… for what I neglected to do. Avatar or not… I need to be able to help people. That much I can do. I may not be the Avatar anymore in bending title, but it's still somewhat my title… I mean… I'm an air bender… I guess I can produce offspring that can airbend…"

The emptiness of her voice was not missed by Noatak. "Korra… I want to help you. I want-"

"I know Noa… I know." He cheek nuzzled his chest, breathing in his spicy, musky scent. "Noa?"

The older man looked down at the girl in his arms, "Yes, Korra?"

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course." He gently moved her body so she was soon laying down. He moved over her, to pulled the blanket up, but her arms caught around his neck, tugging him down roughly.

Their lips met in a rough, sloppy kiss. Noatak couldn't register what was happening until he felt Korra's tongue pressing urgently against his lips. Throwing all care out of the window, he took control of the kiss, turning their sloppy kiss into a passionate, needy kiss.

The sounds that left Korra's lips and were swallowed by Noatak went straight to his groin, causing him to buck against her. A surprised, pleased moan left her lips, and his left hers and trailed a saliva trail down her jaw and neck, where he played with her skin; biting, sucking, kissing.

Korra's hands clutched at his shoulders, but soon needed something more. They roamed over the expansion of his chest, her nails making angry red marks in their route down to his pants.

A soft gasp was heard as Noatak quickly grabbed her hands, pinning her wrists above her head. He had moved in such an… _Amon_-like fashion… His hands tore at her shirt, ripping it off and throwing it to the side, knocking over the cup of water beside the bed.

Her toned legs wrapped around his waist, pulling his hips down. Korra started to move her hips in circular motions, throwing her head back like a wanton whore. The sounds that tore from her throat… they made Noatak's eyes darken.

They were fully stripped in seconds. Nails drawing his blood and teeth drawing her blood. Pained and pleasure laced whimpers, moans, screams, left Korra's mouth. Grunt left Noatak's lips.

He was relentless, and she loved it.

She needed this.

She needed to be broken even more by him.

This man had broken her, shattered her, and he would be the death of her. No matter what, she knew he would be.

Both were redressed, Korra had her head on Noatak's chest. She was curled up, feeling safe for once in her life.

_Safe_.

Safe in the arms of the man who had caused her so much terror…

"Noa?"

"Hmmm?"

"… We're fucked aren't we? A fallen Avatar, a fallen revolution leader. Enemies, yet we find comfort in each other in our weakness. We search for atonement… but what if it's right in front of us?"

Noatak sat up on an elbow, looking down at her, "What do you mean?"

"What if the Spirits made it so that I found you? It was no coincidence I was the one to find you. We both seek atonement… What if we found it in each other?"

Noatak raised an eyebrow, "What are you saying, Korra?"

"You find atonement through me, by rebuilding what you broke. I find atonement through you, by giving you a new life."

"And what kind of life would that be, Korra?"

"A life with me."

The two gazed into each other's eyes, and soon their lips met in a loving touch. The hunger took over them, and Korra had Noatak on his back as she kissed him hungrily, as if she was some sort of succubus, only she was sucking the sorrow from him instead of his life.

"Ahem…"

Korra gasped, pulling away from Noatak. Katara was standing in the doorway, an all knowing smirk on her lips. "Nice to see you're awake, Korra."

Korra's cheeks reddened, "Y-Yes…"

"The Spirits work in mysterious ways, Aang always told me that. They don't want to control the universe completely, but when need be they will intervene." Katara winked at the two as she walked out, leaving them to ponder her elderly-wise words.

Korra looked down at Noatak and snuggled into his chest. Yes, this new life of their would be worth it. It may be about fulfilling their atonement, but they could do it. Korra was sure of it. A smile graced her lips, and it was the first time she smiled after Amon had taken her bending. Now, she's with Noatak, and together they will rebuild each other, fulfill their atonement, and maybe, just maybe, find a for Korra to be Avatar once again.


End file.
